A hundred miles south-east of Paris, welcome to Sens, Yonne's second city, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region!
A major centre for Christianity in the Middle Ages, marked by the Hundred Years War and the Wars of Religion, Sens is also where the future St. Louis was married in 1234. The city still has many traces of this medieval past. Built from the 12th to the 16th century, its cathedral dedicated to St. Stephen was the first of France's great Gothic cathedrals. Its group of stained glass windows is exceptional and by itself sums up the entire history of stained glass, from the 13th to the 19th century. The cathedral's treasure, one of the most lavish in France, contains some remarkable pieces: tapestries, goldware, old fabrics, ivories and enamels.
Based in the former archbishops' palace, the Sens museums also showcase the city's cultural treasures, with prehistoric and Gallo-Roman collections, 19th-century Flemish paintings, Mayodon ceramics and Raymond Subes furniture.
When it comes to parks, don't miss the Orangerie Garden, which belongs to the archbishops' palace, for its countless bedding plants, and the Water Catchment Area Country Park (Parc Champêtre des Champs-Captants), with its wooded areas, orchards and meadows.
Another sight to see is the old town, with its old houses and 19th-century market halls.
Sens Tourist Office offers guided tours of the city, along with special themed trails for children.
